Do you bake with sourdough? Check this before you put the bread in the oven
The sourdough starter can be the difference between a fluffy loaf and a compact result. Fortunately, there are several simple signs that reveal whether it is actually ready to use.
Sourdough baking has become popular, but it's not always easy to know when the starter is ready.
If used too early, the rise may be poor. If you wait too long, the starter may have passed the time when it is at its most active.
Smell can reveal a lot
One of the first things you should do is smell the sourdough starter.
A ready-to-use starter will normally smell mildly sour and aromatic. The smell may also be slightly reminiscent of fruit or yogurt.
However, a very pungent or unpleasant odor can be a sign that something is wrong.
At the same time, a strong odor does not necessarily mean that the starter must be thrown away. A hungry sourdough starter, for example, may develop a distinct alcoholic odor, writes CHIP.
Look for small bubbles
When the microorganisms in the sourdough work, gas is produced. Therefore, an active starter will often have many small bubbles on the surface, along the side of the glass or inside the mass itself.
If the starter has also grown significantly after being fed, this indicates good activity.
Some starters can double in size, but this is not a requirement. How much it grows depends on how firm or liquid it is, among other things.
The consistency also gives a hint
A mature wheat-based starter will often be airy and elastic, while still holding its shape.
If it has become very foamy, collapses quickly, or seems weak, it may already be past its best.
For starters based on rye, this can be more difficult to judge, as they naturally have a different consistency.
This water glass may give you the answer
A popular trick is the so-called float test.
Take a small spoonful of sourdough starter and carefully place it in a glass of water. If it floats, it may be a sign that it contains enough gas and is active enough for baking.
A starter can sink both because it is too young and because it has already become overripe. A very liquid starter can also sink even if it is active.
Therefore, it is better to look at several signs at the same time than to blindly trust the water glass.
Then the starter should be thrown away
There are also some signs you shouldn't ignore.
If you notice mold, a distinct rotten smell, or other unusual changes that do not resemble normal fermentation, the starter should not be used.
Then it is safer to throw it away and start over.
A typical sour or slightly fruity smell, however, is normal.
The most important thing before baking is therefore to look at the whole picture. A starter that has grown after feeding, has many small bubbles and seems airy and active, has a much better chance of producing good sourdough bread.
